THE MINISTER OF MINES.

Inangahua Times, Volume X, Issue 1558, 8 June 1885, Page 2

THE MINISTER OF MINES.

Mr Larnach, so we hear (says the Evening Press) has given dire offence by the strict economy he has insisted on having i observed daring his recent tonr through the Otago goldfields. It seems that a prominent member of Parliament, prominent both politically and corporeally, whom we dare not allude to more particularly tban to mention that this initials are Vincent P., accompanied the Minister part of the journey, bat getting pretty sick of playing bear leader, left him at an early stage. Imagine his indignation and contempt on receiving a bill for fifteen shillings for fluid medicaments i consumed by him as a remedy for the I gout daring his attendance in the Ministeial suite ! There is also much growling down there because a Daily Times reporter, who made the tour with Mr Larnach, and wrote voluminous and mellifluous reports of each day's and each hour's proceedings, has been i dunned for twenty-five shillings for soda-water and other tonics ordered by the doctor to sustain him in his labors. Fancy a reporter being compelled to pay for the necessaries of life — and travelling with the Minister too i Why, Johnny Sheehan always used to shout for the whole country tude as he went along, and stick it up to native contingencies. " What are we coming to ?" asks J. C. Brown, with a sigh for the degeneracy of New Zealand politics. The bes point ff the joke is that in private life the present Minister of Mines is about the most open-fisted fellow living, with extremely liberal ideas regarding creature comforts, and always ready with the needful whenever he has people with him who don't happen to be as well off as himself. Hence his friends and followers in Otago naturally supposed he would be doubly geneiuus with the public money, and stand Sam for all bands. But " No," says Mr Larnach, " What's mine's my own, and I can chuck it away as I like. The money of the taxpayers is another pair of shoes, aud gentlemen travelling with me will be kind enough to find themselves in liquor or else go dry" Rather rough on genial souls like Messrs Pyke and Brown, bat honest and right for all that !>